This looks like the series that will determine this year's champ (no disrespect to the Wolves but I don't really see them getting past either of these teams - and none to Indy but I don't know if they can do it this year).

Originally posted by KawshenSo call it folks. This is probably the biggest series of the year.

... I called Lakers in 6 -- it really comes down to the bench play, though. If Turkoglu/Horry/Rose can outshoot Rush/Fisher/Medvedenko, the Lakers will have a tough time.

The starting five almost cancel out:

PG -- Parker's quicker, but Payton will kill him in the post. Slight edge to the Spurs.

SG -- Bryant will outplay Bowen. He always has. Clear to big edge to the Lakers.

SF -- Ginobili against George ... a very critical matchup. George has been inconsistent, but he's more than capable of holding his own here. Slight edge to the Spurs.

PF -- The young Hall of Famer against the old Hall of Famer. Malone has the veteran's savvy, and I think he'll make life difficult for Duncan, but he has to knock down his perimeter jumpers to have any chance in this. Clear edge to the Spurs.

CN -- O'Neal has dominated Nesterovic in just about every matchup between the two; Rasho's best bet would be to focus on little things, like grabbing the extra rebound or making the extra jumper. Clear to big edge to the Lakers.

It's a great battle, a monster match between the Champions of the last five years, and I think we're all waiting to see it.

Bah, I don't think this series is the one that decides it. The Twolves and Pacers/Pistons might not have much of a chance to beat the Spurs, but I think they will do better against the Spurs than the Lakers will. Obviously Shaq and Kobe will dominate their positions, I agree with Bowen being overrated against Kobe. But Payton, Malone, and George are no match for Parker, Ginobili and Duncan, and the Spurs bench is better. Plus the Spurs cruised through the best lower seed in the playoffs, while the Lakers, even though they won 4 - 1, looked less than impressive. And the Spurs play way better defense. Spurs in 5.

Originally posted by J.T. DutchPG -- Parker's quicker, but Payton will kill him in the post.

As a Sonics fan I used to say that a lot, but it's apparent that GP has no answer for Parker any more (the Sonics played the Spurs in the first round in 2002 and Parker had some HUGE games, and I think he was a rookie then). I think Kobe and Shaq and especially Karl Malone will get the Lakers through this series, though.

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Lakers in 6 here. JT has proven that Bowen can't stop Bryant, and now that we pretty much know that the trial will not affect the playoffs. Kobe can go back to focusing on the game, and he and Shaq will beat the Spurs at home. Malone is also peaking at the right time, and that will be enough to beat the Spurs (I hope anyways).

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Originally posted by DrDirtSpurs in six. My God, except for a play or two Houston could have taken it to seven. Lakers are ready to implode psychologically and the Spurs are playing like a team.

Yeah, but follow the Lakers for any length of time and you know that - with the exception of last year - the moment you give up on them is the moment they somehow manage to turn things around.

It's all about the drama - after all, they're SO the Los Angeles team. When you think they're going to self-destruct, they pull it together. And when you think they've pulled it together, they self-destruct.

And California NEEDS Kings vs. Lakers, just so North CA and South CA can continue to hate each other.

I said Spurs in 7 before the playoffs, and I'll stick with it now. Of course, the real winner is the Kings, as by tanking the last couple of games they end up with the T'Wolves in Round 2 while having LA and San Antonio duel to the death for 7. Thus, the Kings pick off a weakened Spurs in Game 1 of the Conference Finals and get home court back.

I just love the timing of this. Rasheed comes out and throws a profanity-laced tirade ripping the flopping that's going on in the playoffs... and the next day the NBA announces a policy basically supporting Sheed's gripes and fines him $25,000.